ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS in COASTAL areas OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS

Coastal ecosystems are well known for their higher primary and secondary productivity and support of diverse floral and faunal communities.  Especially coral reef and seagrasses create, as well as occupy, important niches in shallow water environments.  Physico- chemical characteristics of the critical habitats (Mangrove, seagrass, dead coral bed and sandy beach) of Andaman islands were studied.  Physico-chemical parameters recorded in 18 stations showed distinct variations among different ecosystems, especially chemical parameters showed notable variations in all these ecosystems. Sediment characters showed significant variations: pH of the sediments varied between 8.1 and 8.6 in all the sampling locations and the electrical conductivity of the sediments varied between 2.1 and 4.1dSm-1. Sediment nutrients varied widely: nitrogen (22-52 kg/acre), phosphorus (10-15 kg/acre) and potassium (55-73 kg/acre). Though the physico-chemical parameters showed distinct variations among different ecosystems, they are within the optimum range reported for the specific ecosystems prevailing in the area. In general, the nutrient level of water in the seagrass and mangroves was low when compared similar ecosystems of the mainland. It is important to note that, though the ambient water quality of these ecosystems is at the optimum level reported for the respective ecosystems, proper attention should be paid to maintain the subtle nature of the ecosystems of the islands, under the post-tsunamic geomorphological variations, increasing national and international tourism activity and the changing climatic conditions

EFFECTS OF DRUGS AGAINST ANTIOXIDANT AND CYTOTOXIC (HEp 2 CELL LINE) ACTIVITY COMPOUNDS FROM MARINE ANIMALS CONUS AMADIS VENOM (GMELIN, J.F, 1791)

Objective: The present study was carried out to explore the hemolytic, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of conotoxins extracted from the venom of C. amadis. Methods: The crude conotoxin was extracted and tested for cytotoxic, antioxidant activity and cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic activity was studied by brine shrimp cells and in-vitro antioxidant activity were determined by DPPH, Superoxide anion radical scavenging assay and hydrogen peroxide scavenging from active fraction of conopeptides. The active fractions were tested in HEp-2 cancer cell lines at different concentration. Results: The different dose tested viz 100μg/mL-1, 50μg/mL-1, 25μg/mL-1, 12.5μg/mL-1, 6.25μg/mL-1, and 3.2μg/mL-1 cytotoxicity on HEp-2 cell was observed at the 25μg/mL. HEp-2 cell displayed dose dependent decreased in viability detected as early as 48 hrs. The purified conotoxin was showed remarkable cytotoxicity against HEp-2 cell in a dose depend manner. The isolated conotoxin that produced maximum effect at 100μg/mL-1 and the half inhibitory concentrations (IC50) was 25μg/mL-1 in the concentration of 45.6±0.8%. Conclusion: The present study revealed that cono-peptides from C. amadis have been used as an accessible source of natural antioxidants as well as anticancer after trial with animal and pre-clinical studies

<span style="font-size:15.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" "times="" roman";mso-ansi-language:en-us;mso-fareast-language:en-us;="" mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-US">Improved fixing and image interpretation techniques for counting chromosomes in Seagrass<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"> Halodule pinifolia </i>(Miki) den Hartog.</span>

1977-1980Cytogenetics is a pioneer technique used to differentiate the plants at species level including seagrasses. Present study consists an improved technique for staining of chromosomes of seagrass Halodule pinifolia (2n= 44). By modifying and updating old methods, an improved technique for counting chromosomes has been developed. Image interpretation techniques applied in the study in Photoshop CS2 ver.9 allowed to read the chromosomes apparently with high accuracy

Distribution and biology of seagrass resources of Lakshadweep group of Islands, India

624-634Present study explains the diversity, distribution, biomass and productivity of seagrasses in the Lakshadweep group of Islands. Seven seagrass species under five genera were recorded from nine islands and no seagrass was found at Bitra island. Out of seven seagrass species, Cymodocea serrulata was found to be dominant in the Lakshadweep group of islands whereas Halophila decipiens was found only in Kalpeni island. Biomass varied widely from 72+9 to 944+99 gfr.wt.m‑2 among all the species of seagrasses. Productivity also showed clear variation within the species and between the species at different stations. Productivity of the species varied from 2.76+0.17 mgCm-2day-1 to 95.53+10.06 mgCm-2day-1 and it was in the following order of increase: H. decipiens H. pinifolia H. uninervis< T. hemprichii< C. rotundata< S. isoetifolium The spatial cover of seagrasses in Lakshadweep Island is more and are healthy in almost all the islands

Heavy metal enrichment in seagrasses of Andaman Islands and its implication to the health of the coastal ecosystem

85-91Concentration of metals (Mn, Al, Fe, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co and Ni) in eight different seagrass species of Andaman Islands were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer. The concentration of Mn was maximum in almost all the seagrasses, whereas Co recorded minimum concentration. The concentration of various metals are showed different concentration Mn (508-2224µgg-1), Al (418.74-1064.8µgg-1), Fe (525.6-1920.4µgg-1), Cr (58.28-249.44µgg-1), Cu (30.52-109.52µgg-1), Zn (28.88-85.52µgg-1), Pb (4.16-17.72µgg-1), Cd (2.24-6.92µgg-1), Ni (1.76-10.04µgg-1) and Co (1-3.28µgg-1). The results found that there where interspecific and intraspecific differences in the accumulation of different metals in seagrasses. However, there is no significant variation in metal concentration in seagrasses was obtained between stations. The study clearly indicates that the seagrasses can be used as a potential mean for monitoring the metal concentration in coastal environs

Evaluation of seagrasses for their nutritional value

105-111Biochemical and calorific contents of different species of seagrasses occurring in Palk Bay were determined: Enhalus acoroides (68.82 K cal g-1), Halophila beccarii (29.16 K cal g-1), Halophila ovalis (24.08 K cal g-1), Cymodocea rotundata (60.62 K cal g-1), Cymodocea serrulata (43.40 K cal g-1), Halodule uninervis (40.15 K cal g-1), Halodule pinifolia (28.39 K cal g-1) and Syringodium isoetifolium (38.38 K cal g-1) of leaves and in rhizome Enhalus acoroides (77.84 K cal g-1), Halophila beccarii (38.84 K cal g-1), Halophila ovalis (37.03 K cal g-1), Cymodocea rotundata (63.68 K cal g-1), Cymodocea serrulata (37.33 K cal g-1), Halodule uninervis (28.39 K cal g-1), Halodule pinifolia (28.23 K cal g-1) and Syringodium isoetifolium (30.48 K cal g-1). Calorific contents of seagrasses were equivalent to Bengal gram, Peas, Potato and Sweet potatoes.&nbsp; Present study suggests that the seagrasses could be considered as feed/food